Eyewitness testimony

The researcher found that significantly more participants in Condition A responded ‘Yes’ compared to participants in Condition B.

Use your knowledge of research into one factor that affects eyewitness testimony to explain this finding.

Two police officers are discussing the testimony of an eyewitness. The eyewitness had described a robbery she had seen.

‘At first, the witness said she was convinced the suspect was wearing glasses and had a limp,’ explained one of the officers, ‘but later she said she may have just been repeating what she’d heard from other witnesses.’

‘I’m not sure we’re going to be able to use her statement,’ replied the other officer.

Discuss the effect of post-event discussion on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. Refer to the information above in your answer.

Discuss research into the effects of anxiety on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

A student showed participants a film of a car accident. After watching the film, each participant was asked to write down what they had seen. The student was surprised to see that the descriptions of the accident were quite different.

The student’s psychology teacher suggested that the participants’ recall might be improved by using cognitive interview techniques.

Suggest two cognitive interview techniques that could be used to improve participants’ recall of the film.

Danielle was walking down the high street when she witnessed a crime. A young man attacked an elderly woman. After a struggle, the man ran away with the woman’s handbag. Danielle and another couple of witnesses stayed with the woman until the police arrived.

Explain how the police could use the cognitive interview to help Danielle’s recall of the event.

Which two of A, B, C, D and E are associated with the cognitive interview technique?

Shade two boxes only.

A Alter the perspective

B Change the speaker

C Match the direction

D Remove the context

E Reverse the order

Evaluate the cognitive interview as a way of improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

Describe the cognitive interview.

Outline and evaluate research (theories and/or studies) into the effects of misleading information on eyewitness testimony.